Training Programs for Professionals: West Virginia LEND Project Abstract - West Virginia LEND Autism Expansion Project (LEND/AEP)
E-Mail
| Web
Site 
Problem: The LEND/AEP will address the difficulties encountered in screening, diagnosing and serving children with the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in a rural environment.
Goals and Objectives: The following goals and corresponding objectives provide the basis for improving services for children with ASD. Goal 1: Improve health care delivery systems by advancing the knowledge and leadership skills of the full range of child health professionals to screen, diagnose and treat ASD. The key objectives are 1) Identify, recruit and select a minimum of five (5) long-term trainees per year (15 over three years), including those representative of culturally diverse and disadvantaged groups who indicate strong evidence of leadership potential and a demonstrated commitment to children with ASD and their families and 2) Provide disciplinary and interdisciplinary clinical, didactic and leadership training in ASD to 12 long-term, 36 intermediate and 150 short-term trainees each year from the core LEND disciplines. Goal 5: Research the current use of screening and referral methods and measure the efficacy of trainings of health care providers in the use of best practice screening tools. Objective 5.6: Provide (with trainee/mentor input and participation) consultation, technical assistance, dissemination of information and ongoing continuing education activities to health care providers based on identified needs.
Activities Undertaken to meet Project Goals: The LEND/AEP will enhance and expand the current activities of the LEND project. The additional funding will allow for formalized training by experienced providers in the area of ASD and expand the number of individuals who receive specific ASD training. The use of telehealth will provide an innovative format to promote community education, diagnosis and treatment support through a “virtual medical home model.”
HP 2010 Objectives: Leading Health Indicator # 6, Disability and Secondary Conditions and Leading
Health Indicator # 19, Maternal, Child and Infant Health target reducing health
disparities in children with ASD. Objective 6-1, Standard definition of people
with disabilities in data sets; Objective 6-11, Assistive devices and technology;
Objective 16-14, Developmental Disabilities encourages training of clinicians
about early identification and assists families obtain evidence-based treatments
of ASD.
Coordination: The three partnerships formed will be integral
to meeting the goals. The Autism Training Center houses the state mandated ASD
Registry for epidemiological data collection. The Augusta Levy Learning Center
will consult on best treatment practices and provide a site for community based
training. The WV Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will support
research on screening practices and the effect of training practitioners.
Evaluation: The WV LEND/AEP includes quantitative and qualitative measures and provides for monitoring of the objectives as well as an evaluation of trainee competencies. Data are collected through the existing NIRS system. The Advisory Board monitors successes and offers on-going input for modifications in the Project design.
Annotation: The WV LEND/AEP will advance the knowledge and skills of pediatric providers to improve the screening and diagnosis of ASD and to promote evidence-based treatment of these children in a primarily rural setting. It will promote innovative use of telehealth to improve screening, diagnosis and access to care for children with ASD and their families in rural, remote and underserved areas.
